Combined clean-out and flow control device for fluid lines



Nov. 27, 1951 COMBINED CLEAN- m I I HIIHH' 'IIHIH w. L. RAMSEY 2,576,640

OUT AND FLOW CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLUID LINES Filed Aug. 29, 1947 INVENTO R ar/4 4. f? "m ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1951 COMBINED CLEAN-OUT AND FLOW CON- TROL DEVICE FOR-FLUID LINES Wellington Ramsey, Erie, Pa., assignor to J. A.

Zurn Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 29, 1947, Serial No. 771,313

7 1 Claim.

. 1 v v a. This invention'relates generally to fiow control devices and more particularly to means for maintaining flow control devices and othermemhere in a pipe line clear of obstructions without interrupting the flow or drainage of fluid.

' It is necessary in many installations to maintain the flow of fluid within certain limits, particularly where they are installed in a pipe line in conjunction with aseparating or grease intercepting device rated to operate only within predetermined maximum flow rates. In drainage installations, much trouble has heretofore been encountered by stoppage fromsolids such as pieces of potato, peas, carrots, potato peelings and like food particles carried by the drainage fluid. These-stoppages are quite frequent in installations where there is a reduced aperture in the line, such as a reduced. aperture for con trolling the flow of fluid. It has been necessary to interrupt the operation of the drainage system to dismantle the pipes and fittings of the installation to free the particular stoppage and where the systemis provided with a'clean-out plug at a particular point in the line or in a flow control fitting, it is still necessary to interrupt .the

flow of fluid and drain the system while the plug is removed. It is, furthermore, very difficu'lt to clean and clear a fitting with a reduced aperture from one side thereof where the plug is removed in that much of the dirt and other solid matter is disposed on or forced to the opposite side of the apertured wall in the fitting and it is compressed and packed in many instances so as to require complete dismantlement of the installation. The reason for such stoppage due to the packing of the solids in the line is that there is no constant flow of fluid to wash the solid particles through the system as they are broken up and forced through the reduced aperture and through the line.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to overcome the above and other defects in flow control devices and it is more particularly an object of my invention to provide novel means for freeing stoppages in a drainage or other fluid system without interrupting the flow of fluid therethrough.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fluid control device with means for freeing stoppages therein, which is simple in construction,

economical in cost, easily installed, economical in manufacture, and efiicient in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel fitting adapted to be substituted for an elbow in a fluid line which has novel means for v controlling the flow of fluid therethrough'and further means for maintaining the fitting free of all obstructions without interrupting the flow of fluid through the fitting.

Anotherobject of my invention is to provide a novel flow control device with novel vent means thereby permitting an apertured wall in the fitting to operate as a perfect thin plate orifice. Another object of my invention is to provide novel packing gland devices for a fitting to maintain a perfect seal between a reciprocating cleanout plunger, the gland devices and a plug.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the. accompanying drawings, in which the figure in the drawing'is a vertical sectional view of my novel flow control fitting with cleanout means therefor. r

Referring now to the drawings, the figure shows a fittin comprisinga generally cylindrical shaped body portion 1 having a threaded portion 2 extending laterally thereof comprising an inlet to the fitting and a threaded portion 3 comprising an outlet from the fitting. It will be evident that the disposal of theinlet and outlet in different portions of the fitting may be varied withoutdeparting from my invention. A venting aperture 4 is disposed in'th'e'enlarged portion 5 of the body I between the outlet 3 and a transverse wall 6 disposed between the venting aperture 4 and the inlet aperture 2. The venting aperture 4 may be disposed on either side of the portion 5. The venting aperture 4 is threaded at 1 to receive a conventional pipe (not shown) for venting purposes. The wall 6 has a centrally disposed aperture 8 therein of predetermined size to control the flow of fluid through the fitting. The maximum rate of flow of fluid through the orifice 8 is determined by the head of the liquid above the fitting or the pressure thereof. By knowing the head, the size of the aperture 8 is determined for maximum flow of a particular quantity of fluid. By venting directly below the aperture 8 throu h the aperture 4, the operation simulates a perfect thin plate orifice. The upper portion In of the body I has a recess ll internally threaded at l2 and separated from the chamber I3 of the body I by an apertured wall portion M. A plug l5 having a central aperture l6 for receiving a plunger or rod I1, is externally threaded at 18 for threadably engaging the threaded portion 12 of the upper portion ID of the body I. The plug 15 has a counter bore l9 for receiving compressible sealing material 20. An apertured metal washer In operation, my novel fitting may be con-. nected in a drainage line in place of an elbow,

the vertical distance of the fitting I from a sink which it is draining and the maximum flow rate" allowed determining the size of the flow control aperture 8 in the body or fitting; l.. The threaded portion 2 is connected to any suitable piping and.

the threaded portion 3 may be connected. to. a separator, a grease interceptor; or the like. I preferably provide a venting connection. to the threaded venting aperture 4 to permit operation of, my flow control. device. as a. perfect thin. plate orifice. When food particles. or. other. solid. matter plug up and stop. up. the flow. oontrol..aper.- ture 8, it, is only necessary to pushthe plunger II downwardly wherein the solid. matter is forced through. the. aperture 8 and out through. the drainage system. without interrupting the, flow of. fluid through. the line. My novel flow control device'may operate without a venting aperture but I prefer to use a venting aperture because of more. efllcient operation. thereof without siphoning. In. assemblin the. plunger H as shown in the figure. of the drawing, a flexible washerv 22 is disposed adjacent thev wall 14, then a metal washerv 2|. is disposed. on. top of the flexible Washer.v 22 and threaded plug. IS with counterbore [9 and sealingumaterial 20',,is engaged with the threaded portion l2 of! the recess ll of. the flange portion H1 of the fitting. The sealing material. 20. is forced againstv the plunger l]. and themetalwasher 2| forces the. flexible. washer 22 in sealing, engagementwith the. wall. l4 and also causes the. sealing material 20 to be forcedoutwardly betweenthe lower face of the plunger- [5 and, the metalwasher 2 I.

It will; be evidentfromi the foregoing description that I' have provided a novel fi'ow, control fitting with. venting means. belowan apertured wall for simulating the operation of a thin plate orifice, and I further provide novel means for maintaining the flow of solid material, such as food particles and the like, in a fluid line without stoppage by the provision of a plunger which is operated externally of the fitting and requires no interruption of fiow ofthei fluidto the fitting and it utilizes the flowof the fluid to assist in the cleaning of the fitting and clearing it of the solid matter.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my invention without departing from the-spirit thereof, or from the scope of the appended-claim.

. Whatlclaimis:

A :flowv control device comprising a cylindrical body having an outlet on one end thereof, a laterally extending inlet intermediate thereof, and athreaded recess in the end of said body opposite to said outlet; a comparatively thin plate wall havingamorifice of. predeterminedsize centrally thereof in said. cylindrical. body between said. inlet and said outlet, said. wall. defining, a chamber on the inlet and.outletsidesthereof; an air ventextending laterally from said body immediately below said thinplate. wall. therein, defining a. thin plate orificev for the control of fluid passing through-v said. fitting, a threaded. apertured plug for engagement with. the. threaded recess in the. end of. said, body and. a reciproeating plunger extending through said. apertured plug and. adapted to extend through said" orifice in said thinplate,

WELLINGTON 1'.

- REFERENCES; CITED The following references are of record in file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES. PATENTS.

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